Nightmares
by CloudyRose06
Summary: Starsky is having bad dreams about his family as well as Hutch and Huggy, and Hutch wants to know why.


**NIGHTMARES**

_Note - This takes place after the episode "The Avenger"_

It was a beautiful day at the park. Police detectives David Starsky and Ken Hutchison were having a picnic with their close friend, Huggy Bear. Both Hutch and Huggy thought it was a good idea to bring Starsky out there, as they were both worried for the cop's well-being.

Starsky was recovering from the attack by his recent girlfriend Monique, who seemed to be possessed by who she claimed was her ex-husband and even has donned on a man's suit, a matching hat and a pair of glasses while wielding a large knife. That event had Starsky creeped out for the next two days, even if Hutch came for him just in time. Now something else had happened. Starsky was stunned by a bee that had landed on his leg he grabbed it from. Though it had died as a result, his hand was now hurting.

"Oh, it'll pass," Hutch assured his partner.

"That's easy for you to say," Starsky said as he flew the dead bee off his hand. "Now I'm gonna wonder if I'm allergic to bees!" Then he deeply sighed with a hint of fear, causing concern from his friends.

"Now, have you ever been stunned by a bee before, Starsky?" Huggy had to ask.

Starsky gave it a thought. "I don't remember if I have or not. I guess my mind was a little fuzzy back then. But so far, I'm doing pretty good. So what're we having for lunch? It better not have some of Hutch's bird feed."

"Aw, come on, Starsk," Hutch whined.

Starsky was already looking through the basket. "Oh! We got subs! Terrific! Aw, and we got salads." Starsky looked over at Hutch, who shrugged, before continuing. "And beer, terrific! And... sodas!"

"Those are Huggy's," Hutch clarified.

"I'm not a big drinker," Huggy added.

"Well, that explains a lot," Starsky scowled before he and his friends dined on their picnic meal. It was afterwards that Starsky and Hutch lie together on the blanket while Huggy cleaned up. Starsky sighed again.

"You alright?" Hutch asked. "Sounds like you're worried about something."

"I'm fine," Starsky replied. "Just nightmares I've been having in a past couple of days."

"I bet, with the way you've handled Monique." Hutch had to agree on that one.

"Aw, she was nothing," Starsky said with a slight smile on his face.

"Now wait a minute! Just before she was your girlfriend," Hutch protested.

"That was before she showed her true colors," Starsky shot back.

"Women. Some are crazy, some are just plain dumb," Huggy said.

"Yet the fairer race all the same," Starsky added.

Later that night, Starsky is at home thrashing around in his bed. He was having another nightmare. "No... daddy, please don't... please... Mom? Nicky? No, no... No! Why! Someone help me! Hutch! Huggy! Please help!" He suddenly shook his head in his sleep. "No! Not you guys, too! NOOO!" Then he woke up, panting and sweating. Realizing where he was, he fully covered himself with the blanket and curled into a ball bawling like a baby.

Hutch, who had been sleeping on the couch, woke up to Starsky's screams and rushed to his bed. "Starsky! Come on, buddy. Snap out of it!"

"Get away from me!" Starsky angrily snapped, not even looking at Hutch. "Come any closer and I'll shoot!"

"Starsky, it's me! Hutch!"

"I said get away! I know what you did to me!"

Hutch held his breath in disbelief. "What!"

"You turned out to be just like my dad!"

Realizing what was happening, Hutch didn't want to snap Starsky out of his angry trance just yet. "What do you mean just like your dad?"

"You were pissed at me! Huggy was pissed at me! Ma was even pissed at me! Hell, you'd all take turns beating the shit out of me! And you know something? This is probably the future just waiting to happen!"

"Starsky, would I ever do that to you?"

"Yes! Like that time when you thought I was the one who shot Gillian!"

"Starsky, that was before you snapped me out of it for us to catch the real killers!"

"But still! That really-" Starsky sighed, his voice wavering. "You know something? I wouldn't be surprised if some girl comes along and charms us both into-"

"Would you stop that and just listen to me for one minute, Starsky?" Hutch was trying to keep his anger under control. "Whatever you're thinking right now, you're thinking wrong! Sure, the bitch who wanted a dead man's suitcase tried to screw us over, but did it ever ruin our partnership?"

"She actually tried to, okay! She wanted the money and she almost succeeded! Maybe if we-"

Hutch interrupted by gagging Starsky with his dominant hand. "Don't you do this to me, Starsky! We've come this far! Let's not blow it now! How will we bear that, huh?"

Starsky clinched his fists as if wanting to punch something but then he sobbed through Hutch's hand, tears cascading down his cheeks. Hutch ungags him and pulls him into his arms, unaware his own tears spilled down as well. It wasn't long before Starsky returned the embrace and they both held each other for quite some time.

"I'm sorry for doubting us, Hutch," Starsky finally spoke quietly. "It's just... with Monique trying to kill me and my father beating me when he found me in the closet... you don't wanna know why he did that to me."

"Was that in a year or two before he was killed?"

Starsky nodded, still sobbing though it had gotten softer.

"Oh Starsk. Come on. I would never do that to you. I'm not leaving you."

"But-"

"No buts. No what ifs, either. We're gonna be okay, you hear me?"

Starsky nodded. "Just needed a little convincing, that's all."

"Of course you do, mush-brain," Hutch said as he ruffled Starsky's hair. "Blow your nose. You're starting to get gross." Hutch hands him a tissue to blow his nose, hoping to coax another smile out of him.

"You probably need one yourself, drippy. Or is it all in my hair now?" Starsky quipped, encouraging his partner he was coming out of it.

"Why don't we get some sleep, huh?"

Starsky nodded. "Okay. As long as I don't get anymore nightmares."

"How about we share a bed for awhile?"

"As long as you're the only man to do so." Starsky grinned.

"Yeah yeah yeah." Hutch climbed into bed with Starsky as he yawned. "Sleep tight, huh?"

"I'll sleep tighter if you want me to."

Hutch laughed a little. Soon, both fell into a deep nightmare-free sleep.


End file.
